PRIMEX DIRECTORS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Mr. Ryohei Ishii has more than 15 years of experience in business development and project management in Japanese official development assistance (ODA)-funded projects in various parts of the world. A Civil Engineer by profession, Mr. Ishii’s excellent project management, problem solving, decision-making, and negotiation skills have earned him the trust of the Top Management of Oriental Consultants Global (OCG) Japan. As a result, he holds several concurrent positions, including General Manager (GM) of the Business Promotion Department of Japan, GM of OCG’s offices in Sri Lanka and Thailand, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OCG East Africa and Latin America, Director of OCG Thailand, and Deputy Director of OCG’s Global Solutions Department (GSD).

Ms. Elvira Ablaza, PRIMEX Founder, was at the helm of the Company’s operations for 30 years, steering its evolution into a premier international consulting firm. She stepped down as PRIMEX CEO in January 2021, but remains fully engaged in PRIMEX operations as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Quality Assurance (QA) Officer, and Project Director of PRIMEX-led projects. She has also done consulting work for ADB, CIDA, and the UN-FAO in fisheries and coastal resources management, climate change adaptation, and environment in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region. Ms. Ablaza holds an MS in Biology (Meritissimus) from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila and a BS in Biology (Magna cum laude) from the College of the Holy Spirit (CHS) Manila.

Atty. Jackie Cruz is the Managing Partner of the Santiago, Cruz, and Associates Law Offices. Since 2007, he has been teaching at the College of Law at Adamson University and has been serving as one of the Trustees of the Board of Adamson University since 2013. He also serves as Trustee of La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City and of the La Salle-Jaime Hilario School in Bagac, Bataan. He is also Consultant on Legal and Regulatory Affairs to several broadcasting and telecommunication companies, such as Smart Communications, Inc., TV5, and Sun Cellular. Atty. Cruz joined the PRIMEX Board of Directors in 2015. He graduated with a degree in AB Philosophy from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and holds a Master of Laws from the same university. He became a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Quezon City Chapter in 1991.

Ms. Malou Mercader currently holds the position of Finance and Accounting Manager at OCG Philippine Branch. Prior to joining OCG, she was Accounting Manager at the global electric and power company subsidiary, Asea Brown Boveri, Inc. (ABB), from 19952002. She started her career with Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Co. of Manila Inc. (AG&P) from 1983 to 1991 before joining ABB as Project Accountant/Chief Accountant in 1991. Ms. Mercader graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accounting at St. Paul College Manila (SPCM) in March 1982 and became a certified public accountant (CPA) in March 1983.

Ms. Rosechin Olfindo-Hamanaka is an economist and has worked extensively in government, international organizations, and the private sector. She has excellent skills in economic and social policy analysis, research, and quantitative analysis. She worked for the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC and in the Manila Office, where she provided advisory services and analytics to country operations; and for Asian Development Bank, where she provided technical and management support to regional technical assistance projects. She served as staff in the Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority and as consultant for the Department of Trade and Industry. She has soleauthored empirical research articles in international peer-reviewed journals. Ms. Hamanaka holds a BS in Business Economics and MA in Economics, both from University of the Philippines, and a Master in Public Administration in International Development from the prestigious Harvard University in the USA.

Ms. Ana Celina A. Baluyut is a marketing communications, networking, and business development specialist. She has also served as researcher, project coordinator, and project manager for feasibility studies of transport and infrastructure projects. She is knowledgeable in various tendering procedures of international financing institutions and is highly familiar with the implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Procurement Law. She obtained a Certificate in Knowledge Management and Strategic Intelligence from the UN Public Administration Network (UNPAN), a Master in Project Management from the American Academy of Project Management, and an Applied MBA Certificate from the Executive Development Agency in Manila. She is also a certified Data Protection Officer.

Mr. Stong Escara is a fisheries management specialist with over 30 years of experience in the implementation of development projects funded by multilateral and bilateral funding agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Since joining PRIMEX as a regular staff member in 2016, he has been Project Manager of various projects in education, health, infrastructure, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), irrigation, and agriculture. He has also prepared and edited technical reports, including promotional and information materials, handbooks, and manuals. Mr. Escara obtained his Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Management from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1985 and his Master of Marine Management from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2002.

Ms. Rowena Manalo is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance and administration in government and private entities in the transportation, information technology (IT), trading, power generation, and manufacturing sectors in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and the Marshall Islands. In 2000, she first joined PRIMEX as Assistant Manager for Finance and Administration, where she handled accounting, bookkeeping, and taxes. After several overseas engagements, she returned to the Philippines in 2017 and rejoined PRIMEX as Vice President for Finance and Administration.